At the Bookshop
Amid all the debates about publishing deaths and e-book revolutions, I always wonder about how far said revolutions can go simply because of aesthetics. I was wandering around the mall with my brother yesterday before taking him to the airport. We did some browsing in the Apple and *shinynew* Microsoft stores - which, by the by, are facing off against each other in the mall, both sporting futuristic all glass fronts and both feature employees wearing oppositional colors: Apple - all red shirts, Microsoft - all blue shirts.
My brother and I decided that someone needs to stage a YouTube flash of a mid-day mall rumble between these two stores.
But despite all the shiny, futurey goodies, I get tired of looking at screens, flashing lights, and consoles. The only place I spent money yesterday was at the bookstore. And the bookstore is also where we spend the bulk of our time.
There's something so wonderful about wandering through aisles of books, not knowing what you'll pick up, what you'll discover. As much as I'm used to reading books by author friends or books recommended by booksellers or blogger, it's still incredibly exciting to pick up a book you've never seen or heard of only to be captivated by its premise and prose.
Instead of waiting to post reviews of some new books, I decided that today I'd post about recent books I've purchased, but have not yet read, and why I picked them up. It's a mix of books I'd been anticipating and a few I just found and am really excited about.
David Levithan's Lover's Dictionary
David is not only an incredibly talented writer and editor - he's a genuinely exceptional human being who I am honored to call my friend. I've been super excited for his first adult novel. It's beautiful and so creative. I've only read a few pages (I just got it!) but I'm in love!
Cynthia Hand's Unearthly
I haven't met Cynthia in person, but she is a friend of my friend - the amazing poet and scholar Kristin Naca - and Kristin introduced (via the internet) Cynthia and I to each other. Like me, Cynthia is an academic trying to balance teaching and writing and so I feel instant kinship with her. I also loved this review of Unearthly and Nightshade together.
Matt Haig's The Radleys
The cover snared me on this one. And then I read a few pages. Suburban vampires. Commentary on abstinence and the repression of animal instincts. Wow. Yes.
Cherie Priest's Boneshaker
Zombies. Alternate Civil War. Steampunk. My next project is steampunk, as well as being alternate history. I'm psyched about this book.
Terry Pratchett's The Wee Free Men
I adore Terry Pratchett and this series has been on my TBR list forever. Finally picked it up.
Andrew Shaffer's Great Philosophers Who Failed at Love
Maybe wins best title ever?? Andrew is a fantastic columnist for Huffington Post, a master of wit, and I have been really looking forward to this book.
So what makes you pick up a book? Have you been surprised by any recent literary purchases?
My brother and I decided that someone needs to stage a YouTube flash of a mid-day mall rumble between these two stores.
But despite all the shiny, futurey goodies, I get tired of looking at screens, flashing lights, and consoles. The only place I spent money yesterday was at the bookstore. And the bookstore is also where we spend the bulk of our time.
There's something so wonderful about wandering through aisles of books, not knowing what you'll pick up, what you'll discover. As much as I'm used to reading books by author friends or books recommended by booksellers or blogger, it's still incredibly exciting to pick up a book you've never seen or heard of only to be captivated by its premise and prose.
Instead of waiting to post reviews of some new books, I decided that today I'd post about recent books I've purchased, but have not yet read, and why I picked them up. It's a mix of books I'd been anticipating and a few I just found and am really excited about.
David Levithan's Lover's Dictionary
David is not only an incredibly talented writer and editor - he's a genuinely exceptional human being who I am honored to call my friend. I've been super excited for his first adult novel. It's beautiful and so creative. I've only read a few pages (I just got it!) but I'm in love!
Cynthia Hand's Unearthly
I haven't met Cynthia in person, but she is a friend of my friend - the amazing poet and scholar Kristin Naca - and Kristin introduced (via the internet) Cynthia and I to each other. Like me, Cynthia is an academic trying to balance teaching and writing and so I feel instant kinship with her. I also loved this review of Unearthly and Nightshade together.
Matt Haig's The Radleys
The cover snared me on this one. And then I read a few pages. Suburban vampires. Commentary on abstinence and the repression of animal instincts. Wow. Yes.
Cherie Priest's Boneshaker
Zombies. Alternate Civil War. Steampunk. My next project is steampunk, as well as being alternate history. I'm psyched about this book.
Terry Pratchett's The Wee Free Men
I adore Terry Pratchett and this series has been on my TBR list forever. Finally picked it up.
Andrew Shaffer's Great Philosophers Who Failed at Love
Maybe wins best title ever?? Andrew is a fantastic columnist for Huffington Post, a master of wit, and I have been really looking forward to this book.
So what makes you pick up a book? Have you been surprised by any recent literary purchases?
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I agree as well. The bookstore is so comforting and exciting, I would spend hours in there if my mom didn't drag me out. A Few Reasons Why I Might Pick Up/Buy A Book:
1. It's very popular or a friend recommended it to me
2. It's got a beautiful cover
3. The back cover summary is compelling
4. I check the first few pages of writing and they are excellent
(Just so you know, Nightshade was all of these!)
5. Or perhaps I'll get a book thats part of a series I like, or by an author I enjoy
While I love the smells of a bookstore and can spend hours looking through the different titles, I think where the ebooks will overcome printed copies of books is this;being an avid reader since childhood I have amassed a series collection of both paperback and hardback books, not to mention college textbooks etc... I am military and move like clockwork and space is limited. Where do I put all those books??? I have a room full of them and some in each and every other room in my home as well as boxes stored at my parents house as well. I am literally out of space, having a Kindle I can now continue to expand on that collection w/o the space constraints. That I think is where ebooks will win out over print... just like digital music won out over CD's. I know your all thinking "well why not go to the libary and check out a book instead" or " why not give books away" and my answer is simple, if I like a book I want it in my collection, I dont want to have to take it back and leave it somewhere else, I want to have it at my access whenever I want it. I won't give away old books for the same reasons... so while I still love going to bookstores when it comes time to choose between my Kindle and a print copy, my Kindle often wins...
I was in the bookstore yesterday too for a long time not able to decide what I wanted to buy besides Unearthly but did notice one thing that your book Nighshade was sold out!! How awesome is that?
Reasons why I pick up a book vary...
It usually has to do with what the book is about, but I absolutely adore certain covers- Nightshade being a perfect example for both qualities=)
Series I am captivated by are always priorities and I can't help but buy a book that has rave reviews!